Head to Head: American Express Aeroplan Card vs TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card
Loading article…
TD and American Express Canada offer two Aeroplan credit cards for travellers:
Featured
- Annual feeNo annual fee the first year
- $0 $139
- Our valuationMilesopedia first-year estimate First-year valueWelcome bonus$1,000Annual fee rebated$139Total$1,139Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
- $1,139
- Welcome offerAfter $12,000 in 12 months
- Up to 50,000 points
Apply Now
on TD's website
- Annual fee
- $120
- Our valuationMilesopedia first-year estimate First-year valueWelcome bonus$700Total$700Plus $200 of bonus paid after the first year, not counted in this total.Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
- $700
- Welcome offerAfter $7,500 in 6 months
- Up to 45,000 points
Apply Now
on American Express's website
Apply with confidenceCheck whether your application will be approved before you submit it, with no impact on your credit score*When you apply for a personal American Express Credit Card, we will tell you whether you are eligible without affecting your credit score. So you can apply with confidence.*Instant decisions are only available for consumer Card applications (also called “personal Cards”).
In terms of design, gray colour and features, they are very similar. Let’s analyze the small details to see the differences.
Welcome Bonus
The welcome bonus offered by each of these cards varies according to the promotions.
Here is how the current offer is structured:
With this welcome offer for the TDMD AeroplanMD Visa Infinite* Card, you can earn up to 50,000 Aeroplan points, with no fee in the first year.
Here’s how:
- 10,000 Aeroplan points after first purchase
- 15,000 Aeroplan points, if you spend $3,000 within 90 days of account opening
- 25,000 Aeroplan points when you spend $12,000 within 12 months of account opening
Based on our valuation of Aeroplan points (2 cents per point), this welcome bonus corresponds to an approximate value of $1,000.
With this welcome offer, the American Express® Aeroplan®* Card allows you to earn up to 45,000 Aeroplan points.
Here’s how:
- 35,000 Aeroplan points after $7,500 in purchases within the first 6 months;
- 10,000 Aeroplan points after $1,000 in purchases in the 13th month following your membership.
Based on our valuation of Aeroplan points (2 cents per point), this welcome bonus is worth approximately $900.
Advantage: TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card
For a spending amount of $3,000, it is possible to quickly earn 25,000 Aeroplan points with the TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card.
Conversely, you must reach $7,500 in spending to unlock most of the welcome bonus on the American ExpressMD AeroplanMD* Card, and wait until the 13th month to receive all the points.
Minimum Income
The TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card requires an annual personal household income of $60,000 or $100,000.
The American Express® Aeroplan®* Card requires no minimum income.
Advantage: American Express
Like most American Express cards, this Aeroplan card requires no minimum income. If this is important to you, this card is much easier to obtain.
While the TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card demands a higher income.
Annual Fee
The TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card has an annual fee of $139.
But with the current promotion, it’s free for the first year!
The American Express® Aeroplan®* Card has an annual fee of $120.
Advantage: TD
The TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card is free for the first year! It’s a step ahead of its competitor.
If you want to keep your Aeroplan credit card long-term, the American Express card has a lower annual fee ($120 instead of $139 on the TD side).
Standard earning rate
The two cards offer different point earning rates.
The Accumulation Level
With the TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card, you get different levels:
- 1.5 points per dollar on gas, groceries, Air Canada and Air Canada Vacations purchases
- 1 point per $1 on all other purchases
With the American Express® Aeroplan®* Card, you earn:
- 2 points per dollar on eligible purchases with Air Canada and Air Canada Vacations
- 1.5 points per dollar on restaurant, bar and home delivery purchases
- 1 point per dollar on everything else
Advantage: TD
The American Express® Aeroplan®* Card restricts its highest earning rate to Air Canada and Air Canada Vacations. If you do a lot of business with these companies, this will be to your advantage.
With restaurant expenses, you earn 1.5 points per dollar with the American Express Card. Thus, you will get more points with it than with the 1 point of the TD card.
But the TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card wins the battle. Since the biggest budget items are groceries and gas, this card is more advantageous: 1.5 points per dollar. It’s better than American Express.
Finally, the match is drawn for other purchases: 1 point per dollar with both cards.
Redeeming Points
Both cards are designed for travellers who earn Aeroplan points.
These points are used to book airline tickets with Air Canada, Star Alliance and partner airlines. Here is the Flight Reward Chart for the Aeroplan program.
You can also use your Aeroplan points for hotel reservations, car rentals or vacation packages with Air Canada Vacations.
With the TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card, you only get Aeroplan points.
With the American Express® Aeroplan®* Card, you only get Aeroplan points.
It’s a tie !
Since both are used to collect Aeroplan points and are co-branded Aeroplan cards, neither card is better than the other.
Both cards transfer points to the cardholder’s Aeroplan account every month, a few days after the statement is issued.
Once you have Aeroplan points in your Aeroplan account, there is no way out: you can only use them in the Aeroplan program. Then, as long as you hold one or both of these cards, your Aeroplan points will not expire.
The Benefits
With the TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card, you will get:
- Free first checked bag free for you and up to 8 people travelling on the same reservation
- Earn 1,000 Status Qualifying Miles and 1 Status Qualifying Segment for every $10,000 in net purchases
- $100 statement credit every 48 months for NEXUS membership or renewal fees
- Access to Visa Infinite benefits (concierge, luxury hotel collection, vineyard tours, additional travel privileges)
- Various promotions with Aeroplan (Aeroplan points back, discounts on flights, credits or points Aeroplan to the account, link your account with Starbucks)
With the American Express® Aeroplan®* Card, you benefit from the following advantages:
- Free first checked bag free for you and up to 8 people travelling on the same reservation
- Earn 1,000 Status Qualifying Miles and 1 Status Qualifying Segment for every $10,000 in net purchases
- American Express Experiences lets you buy tickets to popular events (concerts, plays and special events) before anyone else.
- A wide range of American Express promotional offers (Statement credits on a multitude of purchases made in a variety of stores)
It’s a tie !
Because the TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card has more advantages in terms of numbers, it would be the winner.
But analyzing those of the American Express® Aeroplan®* Card is interesting. Some of its offers are not limited to Air Canada or Aeroplan. They affect many different retailers (1Password, Marriott Bonvoy, Quickbooks, TurboTax, Columbia, Kinton Ramen, etc.).
The choice is yours on this point, as your lifestyle will determine this winner.
Insurance
| Insurance |  |  |
|---|---|---|
| Trip Cancellation Insurance | Up to $1,500 | None |
| Trip Interruption Insurance | Up to $5,000 | None |
| Out-of-Province/Country Emergency Medical Insurance | Up to $2,000,000 21 days | None |
| Flight delay insurance | Up to $500 after 4 hours | Up to $500 after 4 hours |
| Misdirected Baggage Insurance | Up to $1,000 after 6 hours | Up to $500 after 4 hours |
| Lost or stolen luggage insurance | Up to $1,000 | Up to $500 |
| Hotel Burglary Insurance | Up to $2,500 | Up to $500 |
| Car Rental Theft and Damage Insurance | Up to $65,000 | Up to $85,000 |
| Travel Accident Insurance | $500,000 | $500,000 |
| Purchase Protection Plan | 1 additional year | 1 additional year |
| Buyer’s Assurance Protection Plan | Up to $1,000 90 days | Up to $1,000 90 days |
Advantage: TD
The insurance offered by the TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card are superior. It offers cancellation, trip interruption and emergency medical expenses, which its opposite number doesn’t have at all.
Conclusion
So? Who is the big winner?
For all its features, and thanks to better insurance, the TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card wins the match!
However, if the minimum income requirement of $60,000 is too much for you, the American Express® Aeroplan®* Card is an excellent replacement.
Welcome bonuses on American Express Aeroplan cards change regularly. Check out the current welcome offer for American Express Aeroplan cards before you decide.
The TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card stands out thanks to:
- Its high earning rate
- Superior travel insurance
- Annual fee reimbursed in the first year
The American Express® Aeroplan®* Card stands out thanks to:
- No minimum income
- Promotional offers partly offsetting the cost of the annual fee
Featured
- Annual feeNo annual fee the first year
- $0 $139
- Our valuationMilesopedia first-year estimate First-year valueWelcome bonus$1,000Annual fee rebated$139Total$1,139Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
- $1,139
- Welcome offerAfter $12,000 in 12 months
- Up to 50,000 points
Apply Now
on TD's website
- Annual fee
- $120
- Our valuationMilesopedia first-year estimate First-year valueWelcome bonus$700Total$700Plus $200 of bonus paid after the first year, not counted in this total.Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
- $700
- Welcome offerAfter $7,500 in 6 months
- Up to 45,000 points
Apply Now
on American Express's website
Apply with confidenceCheck whether your application will be approved before you submit it, with no impact on your credit score*When you apply for a personal American Express Credit Card, we will tell you whether you are eligible without affecting your credit score. So you can apply with confidence.*Instant decisions are only available for consumer Card applications (also called “personal Cards”).
Frequently Asked Questions about the Aeroplan American Express vs TD Visa Infinite Comparison
Here are frequently asked questions in the milesopedia community about this card.
Which Aeroplan card offers the best welcome bonus?
Both cards offer attractive welcome bonuses, but the structure differs:
- American Express Aeroplan Card: up to 45,000 Aeroplan points, including 35,000 points after $7,500 in purchases within 6 months, then an additional 10,000 points in the 13th month.
- TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card: up to 50,000 Aeroplan points, including 10,000 points after the first purchase, 15,000 points after $3,000 in purchases within 90 days, and an anniversary bonus of 25,000 points after $12,000 in purchases within 12 months.
The TD card now offers the higher point total (50,000 vs 45,000), along with a faster structure at the start and a first year without fees.
Which one offers the best travel insurance coverage?
The TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card clearly leads on travel insurance, with:
- Trip cancellation insurance up to $1,500 per person
- Emergency medical care up to $2,000,000 (10 days for ages 65+)
- Trip interruption insurance and baggage delay
- Car rental insurance
The Aeroplan American Express Card offers much more limited coverage, mainly purchase protection and extended warranty. For a traveller who is away from Canada for more than a few days per year, the insurance gap can represent several hundred dollars in savings by avoiding the purchase of separate insurance.
How does the everyday earn rate compare?
The TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card offers a better return on everyday purchases:
- 1.5 points per dollar on groceries and gas
- 2 points per dollar on Air Canada
- 1 point per dollar everywhere else
The Aeroplan American Express Card instead earns:
- 2 points on Air Canada and restaurant purchases
- 1 point everywhere else
For a household spending $10,000 annually on groceries, the difference represents 5,000 Aeroplan points, or about $100 in additional rewards with TD.
Which card is more accessible for someone with a more modest income?
The Aeroplan American Express Card has no minimum income requirement, whereas the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card requires $60,000 in personal income or $100,000 in household income.
Amex is therefore the best choice for:
- Newcomers with no Canadian credit history
- Students or young professionals
- Self-employed workers with variable income
American Express is also more lenient on credit history, making approval more accessible. Once you meet the eligible income requirement, you can then switch to TD to benefit from superior travel insurance.